roberts



. (No Model.)-

W. D. ROBERTS.

LUCK. v No. 568,701. Patented'Sept. 29, 1896.

UNITED STATES:

WOODBURY n. ROBERTS,

OF PORTLAND, OREGON;

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,701, dated September 29, 1896-. Application filed May 14, 1896. $erial No. 591,534. (No model.)

T in whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,WoonBURY D. ROBERTS, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and Improved Lock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved lock, novel in form, construction, and operation, and is capable of use for all the purposes of an ordinary hasp or padlock.

The object of this invention is to provide an exceedingly simple construction of lock in the form of a ring and composed of two jaws or members constructed and arranged to be automatically locked when brought together and unlocked or separated only by the use of a proper key.

Another object is to provide a lock which cannot be picked, and a further object is to provide a lock which will spring open as soon as the proper key has been used.

Another object is to provide a lock of the kind described in which the parts are so connected that in case the heads of the connecting-rivet should be filed or cut off the parts of the lock will still remain connected and cannot be separated except by the use of the proper key. 1

Another object is to provide the heads or meeting ends of the jaws or parts with suitable means to prevent them moving laterally or out of contact with each other.

With these various objects in view my invention consists in the peculiar construction of the various parts, and in their novel com.- bination onarrangement, all of which will be fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved lock. Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the jaws locked and the cap-plate removed. Fig. 3 is a view showing the jaws unlocked and separated, the cap-plate being also removed. Fig. dis a detail sectional view on the line at l of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the bolt and its springs. Fig. 7 is an interior face view of the cap-plate. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the inner face of the ear 0. Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views of-the key.

In carrying out myinvention I employ two jaws or members A and B, substantiallysemicircular in shape and having arrow or spear shaped ends A and B, respectively, adapted to engage each other, the head A having a groove A adapted to engage the tongue B carried by head B, and thereby prevent any lateral movement between the members A and B.

Theopposite ends of the members A and B are provided with ears or hinge portions O and O, through which passes a pivot or rivet D, thus pivotally connecting the members A and B, and it will be noticed that the opening E in the ear O is central and circular, while the opening E in the ear O is elongated, and that its major axis is at an angle to the line dividing the heads A and B. In other words, the line of elongation does not pass through the center of the ring, but to one side thereof. The purpose of this elongated pivothole is to permit the heads A and B to be sprung apart to clear each other, so that the members or jaws A and B can be opened or separated.

Now, in order to lock the jaws or members when they are brought together, I employ bolt F, which slides in a recess G, made in the end of member A, which bolt engages a shoulder H on the ear 0, and thereby holds the jaws or members locked. The bolt F is pressed into engagement with the shoulder H by means of a coiled spring I, arranged between the end of bolt and end of recess.

The face of member A is of course cut away, as shown at K, to permit the introduction of the bolt F, said recess being covered by a plate L, secured to the member A, said plate having an opening L to receive the end'of the pivot D, as most clearly shown.

The inner face of the plate L is recessed at L and also has a ward-groove L The bolt F is adapted to rest in the recess L and thus partially close the keyhole M upon the inside and prevent any one picking the lock or inserting anything in the keyhole except the proper key, said bolt being held in such position when locked by means of a spring N, arranged in the bottom of recess G and in a groove F, made in bottom of bolt,

said spring being bowed, as shown, and given more of a curve near the outer end than at the inner end. The bolt is also beveled upon the lower face near the inner end, as shown at f, in order that the spring N can throw the outer end into the recess L and shut off the keyhole. The bolt is formed with suitable wards F upon the opposite face adapted to engage the wards O 011 the key 0 and project the bolt outward to withdraw it from the shoulder II. The wards of the key and bolt vary in a variety of looks.

The key 0 has two wards upon the face and one ward upon the opposite face, and the end of the key is made upon an oblique line instead of straight. Furthermore, the end of the first ward is beveled, as clearly shown at 0 Now as the key 0 is pushed into the hole M the beveled end presses the bolt back out of the recess 1., and as the second ward engages the ward on the bolt said bolt is slid back, as indicated by the arrow, drawin g it from beneath the shoulder II, and then the heads of the jaws can be sprung apart and the jaws separated.

The pivot D, which connects the ears C and C, is riveted or headed at each end, and intermediate its ends is provided with a stud or pin I, which is adapted to engage a spring S, carried in a recess R in the ear C, said spring bearing upon said pin for the purpose of spreading the jaws the moment the bolt is withdrawn from beneath the shoulder II, as said spring tends to throw the heads A and B out of engagement and then spread the jaws A and B.

The parts being arranged in the manner hereinbefore described, and clearly shown in the drawings, the operation is as follows: hen the jaws are brought together,the heads A and 13' move past each other, the tongue of the head B entering the groove of the head A, and as the said heads are pressed together to interlock, the locking-bolt will be pressed forward and engage the under side of the locking-shoulder II, thereby securely locking the jaws and preventing any possible separation of said jaws. iVhenever it is desired to unlock the jaws, the key is inserted and the bevel end of the first ward serves to press the locking-bolt back into its recess and away from the cap-plate, so that the second ward can engage the ward 011 the bolt, throw the same back, and release the jaw 13, having the elongated pivotal opening, and the force of the spring S immediately throws the heads apart and spreads the jaws. It will thus be seen that I provide a spring-lock of novel and simple construction, one in which it is only necessary to spring the jaws together to complete the locking operation, and one which it is impossible to spring apart laterally. It will also be noted that I guard against picking the look by projecting the bolt in the path of the keyhole, which bolt can only be pressed back by means of the proper shaped key. It will also be noted that by providing the pivot or rivet with the intermediate stud or pin said rivet cannot possibly fall out, even if the heads thereof should sea /o1 be filed or cut away, thus rendering the lock secure against any such operation. It will also be understood that I do not confine myself to the circular form of lock, but may make the same of any annular shape involving the opening and closing jaws, and I also wish it understood that I do not limit myself to any particular form of key or bolt, as they can both be changed or varied as desired without departing from the broad principles of my invention.

Certain other features of use and advantage will be apparent to everyone skilled in the art to which my invention appertains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a padlock, a jaw pivoted at one of its ends to its fellow member and at its opposite end hooked to said fellow member, said jaw having a bodily endwise movement to disengage its hook before swinging open on its pivot and a locking device for holding the jaw in its closed and hooked position.

2. An improved lock consisting of the jaws hinged at one end, and provided with engaging heads at the other end, the pivotal aperture of one of the jaws being elongated, and means for securing the jaws and holding the heads in contact when brought together, substantially as shown and described.

3. An improved lock, consisting of the jaws pivoted at one end, and having interlocking heads at the other end, the pivotal opening of one member being elongated, the major axis of said opening being at an angle to the line passing through the center of the ring, substantially as shown and described.

4:. An improved lock, consisting of the jaws or members pivoted at one end, and having the interlocking heads at the opposite end, one of the members having an elongated pivotal opening, and the locking-shoulder adjacent to said opening, and the sliding bolt carried by the opposite member, and adapted to engage the locking-shoulder, substantially as shown and described.

5. An improved lock, consisting of the semicircular jaws or members having the interlocking heads, one of said heads having a longitudinal groove, and the opposite head having a longitudinal tongue adapted to engage said groove, and prevent lateral movement, substantially as shown and described.

6. An improved lock, consisting of the semicircular jaws, one of which has an elongated pivotal opening, a recess formed in the opposite jaw, a locking-bolt sliding in said recess, a cap-piece adapted to cover said recess, and bolt, and the locking-shoulder carried by the opposite member, and adapted to engage the locking-bolt when the jaws or members are brought together, substantially as shown and described.

7. I11 a lock of the kind described, the combination with the jaws pivotally connected in a manner set forth, one of said jaws having 568,701 V i l a a recess therein, the sliding bolt arranged in said recess, the recessed cap-plate adapted to cover the said recess and bolt, and the spring arranged beneath the bolt and adapted to project the same into the recess in the cap-plate, substantially as shown and described. 7

8. In a look of the kind described, the combination with the jaws connected as set forth, one of said jaws having a recess, a sliding bolt located in said recess, said bolt having a series of wards, the wards produced in the sides of the jaw, the cap-plate having a rescribed.

9. In a lock of the kind described, the combination with the recessed jaw, of the recessed cap-plate, the sliding bolt, and the spring for projecting the said bolt into the recessed plate, the wards in the jaw-plate, and bolt, the key having wards to correspond with the wards in the jaw, key and bolt, the end of said key being oblique, and the end of the first ward being beveled, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a lock of the kind described, the combination with the jaws, one of which has an elongated pivotal opening, a spring carried by said jaw, and resting adjacent to said opening, the pivotal bolt having a stud or pin against which the spring bears, a lockingshoulder carried by said jaw, and the locking-bolt carried by the opposite jaw, and adapted to engage the said shoulder, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

11. In a lock of the kind described, the combination with the jaws, one of the jaws having an elongated opening, the spring carried by the jaw adjacent to said opening, a looking-shoulder also carried by said jaw, a locking-bolt arranged in a recess in the opposite jaw, a spring arranged beneath said bolt, a spring arranged at one end of the bolt for sliding the same, the cap-plate, and the key, and the pivotal bolt having a stud or pin, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

12. A look comprising a pair of lock-jaws hinged together at one end and having locking-heads at the other, one of such jaws having a free sliding movement on its pivot and a locking portion at the pivot end, the other jaw having a key-released lock member adapted to automatically engage the said locking portion on the movable jaw, when such jaw is moved to its lock position as set forth.

WVOODBURY D. ROBERTS. lVitnesses:

S. H. BLOOMER, A. T. LEWIS. 

